Isle of Wight NHS Trust has introduced a new patient portal, enabling patients to receive digital letters and manage their appointments online.
The patient engagement portal (PEP), powered by Healthcare Communications, was launched at the end of June 2024 for some outpatient services at the trust.
The remaining outpatient services are scheduled to be rolled out in September 2024, with plans to expand to inpatient and day cases by the end of 2024 and early 2025.
Rachel Dominey, associate director of digital transformation at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, expressed excitement about the partnership with Healthcare Communications to enhance patient interactions and standardize appointment procedures.
Since the launch of the patient engagement portal, over 60% of patients have opted for digital appointment letters, showing positive progress, according to statistics.
Patients can access the PEP through a mobile device or PC using an online link sent automatically after booking an appointment or admission to the trust.
Within the portal, patients can view appointment letters, customize accessibility preferences like font size, download letters to their devices, and conveniently manage appointments through calendar integration.
While digital letters are optional, patients can still receive paper copies if preferred, with hard copies mailed automatically to those who do not view digital letters within 48 hours.
Kenny Bloxham, healthcare director at Healthcare Communications, commended the trust’s commitment to inclusive patient engagement and highlighted the high adoption of digital communication in the island community.
Isle of Wight joins over 80 NHS trusts in offering PEPs for patient access to care information, with other trusts like Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust also implementing similar portals.
Additionally, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust announced plans to introduce an “AI-powered” patient portal in collaboration with EBO and The Access Group later in 2024.
